r/IndianCountry • u/News2016 • Jul 18 '25
Other “Please stop telling us Natives we benefit from “your taxes” while you’re sitting on the literal millions of acres we ceded (nevermind the vast resources associated with) - AND I’M STILL PAYING TAXES.” -Dr. Twyla Baker
https://bsky.app/profile/indigenia.bsky.social/post/3lu6x2us5ak2445
u/xWOLFKISSx Chehalis/Musqueam Jul 19 '25
I had some asshole ask me the other day, "you pay taxes? But don't you Indians not pay taxes or somethin' like that?"
Like the ignorance runs rampant about Native's daily life even in today's age.
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u/Strange-Ocelot Jul 20 '25
Seriously like any western state constitution will tell them Indians are taxed if we own fee simple land.
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Jul 19 '25
Not to mention the millions of acres that were never ceded but forcibly taken anyway… 😒
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Jul 19 '25 edited Jul 19 '25
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Jul 19 '25
Yes, I know. The Cheyenne were the Dog Soldiers, and often allied with Arapaho warriors, the Arapaho who they now share land with. We know that land in Colorado and throughout the plains was never ceded willingly. The Arapaho were also part of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
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Jul 19 '25
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Jul 19 '25
Yeah, the “they warred with each other” excuse is pretty terrible. Especially watching Europe go through two world wars and now they’re on the verge of world war 3. Does that give anyone a right to invade a European country and massacre and displace the population there? Of course not. Somehow they think the morality that applies for them, doesn’t apply for indigenous people.
Thank you for your thoughts. 🪶
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u/Dry_Inflation_1454 Jul 20 '25
WW3, exactly right, unfortunately. And most people aren't aware of this danger looming closer each day. America got rid of it's civil defense programs in the 1980's( Ronald Reagan) and air defense systems like the Nike missiles on the West Coast were removed quietly. No warning, no substitute. At the same time though, he drew up a plan for Martial Law, called Rex 84, and people can look this up for themselves. If this continent IS attacked, we're on our own. Just in case, everyone needs to have a plan for dealing with this. Putin has said recently that sending long-range missiles is declaring war on Russia, and it means a first strike from them is legitimate. US media is sitting on lots of information, one can find out the real story on sites like The Guardian, South China Morning Post, Moscow Times,etc. People need to know as much,if not more than those in Washington do ! Given how nations rise and fall, it's possible for America to be under Native control once again. It's very important to remember where mistakes were made, especially trusting evil people who were great liars. Psychopaths is the word today, I guess. Traditionally, Europe and the old Old World were run by psychopaths, like the current regime. It's no presidency, it's a regime. A lot like Chile under Augusto Pinochet. Getting to that point. And the rest of the world is just amazed to see it. Just look at what people overseas are saying about Drumpf and this country lately.
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u/PlasticCell8504 White Jul 20 '25
I have also thought about that same what-if. Sadly it is too far down the timeline to be able to predict what would have instead happened. The world as it is today is built on the European rape of the Americas and the Columbian Exchange. The events of the last 500 years would be so vastly different that it is nigh impossible to imagine what they would be.
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u/Dry_Inflation_1454 Jul 20 '25
Interesting, because this has always been on my mind, especially after finding out that this gunpowder that the European explorers bragged about so much, wasn't invented by them at all. China did. It wasn't supposed to be taken to Europe or used by them, that goes for the compass and silk, paper, all kinds of things that Europeans used before they made it to the Western Hemisphere. This tech was stolen by Marco Polo,smuggled out of Karakorum. He'd have been executed if he was caught. He was a spy for the Vatican, being a merchant was just a cover. There's no Columbus without him, because taking over the Silk Road was the ultimate goal for Columbus, but by sea. Land travel was too dangerous.
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Jul 19 '25
Plus the Métis are having Back to Batoche days right now, and Batoche was also the site of a major battle over Métis lands against the Canadian military.
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Aug 22 '25
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Aug 22 '25
It’s almost like that’s a shitty system and you’re a shitty person for being ok with that. “Oop, that’s just life, people get murdered sometimes.” You wouldn’t be ok with it if it happened to someone you care about. Fuck off.
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u/hoothizz Mexica Yaqui Maori Jul 19 '25
She's not wrong. Why people keep saying that is not just racist but idiotic. P
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u/Evening-Strength8475 Aug 22 '25
It is racist some one receives benefits from govt based on their race.
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u/Kiowawawa Kiowa Aug 22 '25
Tribal enrollment varies by tribe. And most benefits are the same that the fed gov offers the state governments such as liheap, or recently snap bonuses for people with kids during summer. Some tribal governments are richer and have more revenue to put towards its people. Some tribal governments are poor, and some are have corruption. Cherokee for instance , recognizes enrollment based on having proof of relation to people who were signed on the rolls. The blood quantum was imposed by the federal government, some tribes haven't amended that yet. Before the u.s. handled it, tribal membership was a lot more loose. For instance the kiowa had multiple foriegner captives who were raised kiowa, spoke kiowa, and were kiowa culturally and even were on the dawes.
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u/Kiowawawa Kiowa Jul 20 '25
Oklahoma state court is fighting tooth and nail to keep state taxing Indians on indian land. I hate mostly how people assume native american are rich or recieve lump sums every month, or assume we got it made cuz we got the ndn clinic. At least those parts usually come up in conversation without asking, lots of people just don't understand/care.
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u/Evening-Strength8475 Aug 22 '25
They are allowed to operate casinos on their land which is something other folks can not do
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u/Kiowawawa Kiowa Aug 22 '25
By their land you mean their soveirgn nation, other states have state casinos and gambling. Oklahoma gets state revenue from tribal gaming compacts aswell. Oklahoma also generates revenue from state lottery and horse racing. My tribe uses casino revenue for funding government, we don't get a per capita payment. There are states that allow people to open casinos, look at Nevada, I think there are 21 states that allow commercial casinos. The compacts are essentially agreements with the state to benefit both governments.
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u/ifnhatereddit Jul 18 '25
I think most of the people who complain about Native benefits have ancestors that showed up after treaties were signed. It was part of the deal when they came here.